Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York online

that way some three years. On December 13,
1845, he was united in marriage with Miss
Mary Bunnel, a daughter of Levi and Lois
(Mosherl Bunnel, the former of whom was a
native of Hyde Park, Dutchess county, and
was descended from Connecticut Yankees.
To our subject and his wife were born four
children, namely: Charles H. and Enos, who
died in infancy; Henrietta, who became the
wife of Seth K. Winans; and Ida, who mar-
ried Almon Harrison. Mr. Robinson began
his domestic life upon a farm near Stanford-
ville, where he lived until March, 1880, since
which time he has resided upon his present
farm. His time and attention have always been
devoted to general farming, and he has met
with a well-deserved success in his undertak-
ings. During the three years he was employed
by others, when a young man, he never lost
but seven days time, six being spent in train-
ing (or he would have been fined) and the
other in attending a political celebration at
Poughkeepsie. His political allegiance is al-
ways unfalteringly given the Republican party,
and he has been called upon to serve as assess-
or of the town of Stanford. As a citizen of

the community in which he has so long made
his home, Mr. Robinson is highly respected,
enjoying the confidence of his neighbors and a
wide circle of friends. Since 1840 he has
been an active member of the Baptist Church
at Bangall, in which he has served as trustee
and deacon, and has also been superintendent
of the Sunday-school.

GEORGE E. PARKS, owner and propri-
etor of a general mercantile store at
Hibernia, in the town of Clinton, is one of the
promising young business men of Dutchess
county, where his entire life has been passed.
His father, Richard J. Parks, was born in
London, England, June 22, 1833, and is the
eldest in a family of eight children born to
Richard and Hannah Parks, also natives of
that wonderful city. By trade the grandfather
was a shoemaker, and when his eldest son was
eighteen years of age he emigrated with his
family to America, making his first home at
Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He later became a resi-
dent of Highland, where his wife died, and he
passed away while in Poughkeepsie. After
coming to the New World he continued to fol-
low his trade of shoemaking.

In the schools of London the father of our
subject obtained his literary education, and on
coming to Dutchess county began working on
a farm in the town of Washington. Later he
purchased land in the town of Stanford, which
he operated for twenty years, on the expiration
of which he sold out and returned to the town
of Washington. For thirteen years he was
engaged in farming there, and he is now living
in the town of Millbrook, Dutchess county.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and
is highly respected by all who know him. In
Washington town he was united in marriage
with Hannah Smith, and to them were born
four children : George E., Charles (who died
at the age of ten years), Sarah and Robert.

The birth of George E. Parks occurred
June 20, i860, in the town of Stanford, where
his early life was passed in an uneventful man-
ner, the greater part of the time being spent
in the school room or in aiding his father in
the work of the farm. He remained under
the parental roof until twenty years of age,
when he took up the profession of teaching,
which he followed for twelve years, his first
school being near Bangall ; was then employed
at Stanfordville, Hibernia, Pleasant Valley, Salt
Point and Clinton Hollow. In December,
1894, he started in his present business, in
which he is meeting with well-deserved suc-
cess, having secured a large and lucrative trade.
He is also serving as deputy postmaster of
Hibernia.

In the town of Stanford, December 24,
1884, Mr. Parks was joined in wedlock with-
Miss Carrie E. Vail, a daughter of George Vail,
and two children bless their union : Charles

478

COMMEMORATrVE BIOGIiAPHICAL RECORD.

E.. born April 19, 1886; and Roy I., born
July 17, 1887. Socially, Mr. Parks holds
membership with the Knights of Pythias lodge
No. 143, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He has made
a very successful start in life, and by his sys-
tematic methods of conducting his business,
his strict attention to it in all its details, and
his thorough, upright dealings, have already
made him an honorable record in the business
world.

ALFRED VAN WEY, one of the enter-
prising and wide-awake citizens of Barry-
town, Dutchess county, has held his present
position in the employ of the New York Cen-
tral Railroad Company for thirteen years.
He is descended from one of the early families
of Ulster county, N. Y., where his paternal
grandparents, Henry and Cornelia Van Wey,
were both born. In their family of five chil-
dren were Mary, Cornelia and DeWitt. The
maternal grandparents, Zacharia and Gertrude
(Near) Cole, were natives of the town of
Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, and in their
family were thirteen children, namely: Jacob
married Catherine Hapeman; Frederick mar-
ried Sarah Aldridge; Edward L. married Eliza
Traver; Simon married Julia Broadhead;
George \V. married Catherine Straut; Eliza
married John McCurdy; Catherine married
Charles Riggins; Susan married Henry Batcher;
Lydia married Alfred Plass; Sarah married
John Van Etten; Lucy remained single; Delia
was the mother of our subject; and Margaret
married F"rank Stickle.

De Witt \'an Wey, the father of Alfred,
was born in the town of Rhinebeck, Dutchess
county, and by trade was a wagonmaker,
which occupation he followed throughout most
of his life. He died in 1890. He had mar-
ried Delia Cole, who was also a native of the
town of Rhinebeck, and was there educated.
Two children were born to them: Alfred, the
subject of this review; and Charles, who wed-
ded Hattie Traver, by whom he has four chil-
dren — Ralph, Charles, Marion and Minnie.

Alfred Van Wey was united in marriage
with Anna Albers, who was born in New York
City in 1857, and in its public schools acquired
a fair education. Two children haye come to
bless their union: Mildred, born in 1884; and
Clara, born in 18S5. Mrs. Van Wey is the
daughter of Christian Albers, who was born in
Germany. He was an engineer, and on emi-

grating to the United States first located in
New York City, where he married Maria Wul-
pin, also a native of the Fatherland, who had
come to this country for that purpose. They
became the parents of five children: Anna,
wife of our subject; John; Mary, who became
the wife of Thomas Quillen; Lewis, who mar-
ried Emma Daily; and Herman, who died in
infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. \'an Wey are pleasant, in-
telligent people, and well deserve the esteem
and respect of those among whom they make
their home. Socially, he is prominently iden-
tified with Christian Lodge, L O. O. F. , of
Red Hook, and is also a member of Shiloh
Encampment of the same place. He is a pro-
gressive and public-spirited citizen, taking a
commendable interest in the advancement and
upbuilding of his town and county.

LOUIS SCHAFER, a well-known business
man of Dover Plains, Dutchess county,
where he has been for many years engaged in
the shoe trade, was born February i, 1844, in
Brunswick, Germany, which has been the
home of his ancestors for many generations.

William Schafer, father of our subject, was
born there, and received a good education in
the public schools, and after learning the shoe-
maker's trade engaged in business there. He
married Fraulein Sophia Schrieber, and had
six children: William, who married Sophia

; Henry, who died in the U. S. army;

Louis, our subject; Charlotte, who married;
Anna, who died in infancy; and Sophia, who
died at the age of twenty-three.

Our subject's early educational opportuni-
ties were excellent, and he improved them well
during boyhood. He learned the shoemaker's
trade with his father, but his business career
was interrupted by a compulsory service of
three years in the German army. At the end
of his term he obtained a pass and came to
the United States, locating in Brooklyn, N. Y.,
where he followed his trade for three years.
In 1872 he moved to Dover Plains, and estab-
lished his present prosperous business. He
has always been a Republican in politics, but
has never aspired to office, and he is a promi-
nent member of the Baptist Church at Dover
Plains. In 1872 he was married to Miss Cath-
erine Miller, and has two children: Albert,
born November 10, 1875, and Lizzie, born
December 16, 1879.

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

479

Antonie Miller, Mrs. Schafer's father, is a
native of Reichshoffen, Alsace-Lorraine (then
a part of France), and was educated there.
He was for some time engaged in farming,
later becoming a tavern-keeper there. His
wife was Catherine Bruner, daughter of Michael
and Barbara Bruner, well-to-do farmers of
Reichshoffen, and they had four children:
Catherine (Mrs. Schafer); Philomane, who
married George Durrenburger; Louis, who
died at the age of twenty-three years; and
Annie, the wife of Mr. Mower.

MENRY J. YEOMANS is a wide-awake
and progressive citizen of the town of

Unionvale, where he is successfully engaged in
the operation of his farm. He is a native of
Greene county, N. Y. , born in Cairo township,
August 22, 1847, and is a son of William Ira
Yeomans, whose birth occurred in the same
place in 1817. There the father attended the
common schools, and after reaching years of
maturity turned his attention to farming. On
November 25, 1846, he married Miss Mary
Haight, daughter of John and Sarah Haight,
farming people of Dutchess county. Four
children were born of thi's union, but with the
exception of our subject all died when young.
They were John H., born August 31, 1849;
Charles W., born May 7, 1852; and Sarah
Lucinda, born December 30, 1854. The wife
and mother died in June, 1863, and later the
father married Mrs. Harriet M. Green.

William Yeomans, the grandfather of our
subject, was also a native of Greene county,
received a district-school education and from
early life engaged in farming. He married
Miss Lucinda Blackmer, and they had nine
children: Leonard; Elisha; George, who mar-
ried Eliza Haight; Henry, who died unmarried;
William I.; Hannah, who married Isaac Place;
Annis, who married Cornell White: Catharine,
who married John Hill; and Almira, who mar-
ried Emmer Haight.

The advantages of our subject for securing
an education were such as the public schools
of his native county afforded, and on starting
out in life for himself he engaged in mercantile
business. Later he purchased the farm of
ninety-four acres, of Mary Taber, on which he
has since resided, and now has the place under
a high state of cultivation and well-improved
with all modern conveniences. He is a man
of good financial ability and excellent judg-

ment, and since becoming a resident of Union-
vale has won the respect and confidence of the
community, and occupies a leading position
among its influential citizens.

Mr. Yeomans was united in marriage No-
vember 4, 1868, with Miss Mary Jane Wilber,
who was born in 1849, at Duanesburgh, Schen-
ectady county, N. Y. Eleven children blessed
their union, whose names and dates of birth
are as follows: William H., March 31, 1872;
George D., October 23, 1873; Sarah Eliza,
October 14, 1875; Charles E., July 20, 1877;
Bradford W., May 14, 1879; Edwin J., Jan-
uary 16, 1 88 1 ; Ester D., April 4, 1883; Theron
J., September 21, 1885; Lizzie \'., February
28, 1888; Lena M., November 21, 1891; and
Florence, June 4, 1893. All are still living
with the exception of Charles E. William H.,
the eldest son, was born in the town of \\'ash-
ington, Dutchess county, was educated in the
district schools, and is now carrying on farm-
ing. On November 28, 1893, he married Miss
LaNeta Colwell.

Benjamin Wilber, the great-grandfather of
Mrs. Yeomans, was a native of Dartmouth,
R. I., but became a resident of Schoharie
county, this State, where he engaged in agri-
cultural pursuits, which he made his life work.
In 1799 he married Miss Mary Wilber, of
Dutchess county, who though of the same
name was no relative. They became the par-
ents of seven children: Nathaniel (the grand-
father of Mrs. Yeomans), Alanson, Briggs,
Benjamin, Joseph, Rachel and Rhoda.

The birth of Nathaniel Wilber occurred in
Schoharie county, June i, 1800, and there he
received his education. In earl}' life he en-
gaged in farming, but later carried on the meat
business. In 18 18 he wedded Rachel Brad-
ford, who was born in Stanford in 1797, and
by her he had six children: David, Bradford,
Benjamin, Julius, Nathaniel and Sarah A.

David Wilber, the father of Mrs. Yeomans,
was born in Schoharie county, in 1823, and
after finishing his education learned the carpen-
ter's trade, at which he was employed through-
out the principal part of his life. For his first
wife he married Miss Eliza N. Hoag, a daugh-
ter of Enoch and Mary (Norton) Hoag, farm-
ing people of Quaker Hill, Dutchess county,
and the only child born of this union was Marj-
Jane, the wife of our subject. The wife and
mother died in 1850, and later Mr. Wilber-
married Miss Monemia Levey, daughter of
Philip and Monemia Levey.

480

COMMEMORATIVE DIOGRAPUICAL RECORD.

Of the nine children by the second mar-
riage of Mr. Wilber, Rosa, born in 1871, died
in infancy, and another died in infancy un-
named. The others are as follows: (i) Charles
E., born March 30, 1853, in Duanesburgh
township, Schenectady county, is a carpenter
and wagon maker by trade; on November 4,
1882, he married Sliss Sarah J. Van Pelt,
daughter of Ale.xander Van Pelt, and they had
five children — Mary, Avan (deceased). Pearl,
Roscoe (deceased) and Rosie. (2) Julius R.,
born in Schoharie county, June 22, 1856, is a
conductor in the employ of the Albany & Sus-
quehanna Railroad Company; he was married
February 22, 1883, to Jennie Donahue, and
they have three children — Nina, Ivy and Ray-
mond. (3) William J., born January I, 1858,
died at the age of twenty-one years. (4) Brad-
ford B. , born in Schoharie county, August 11,
1859, married Minnie Van Steenburgh, of
Dutchess county, by whom he has a daughter.
Hazel; he is engaged in merchandising. (51
Edwin P., born in Schenectady county, Sep-
tember 22, 1 86 1, is on a ranch in Meeker, Colo. ;
he married Mollie Watson, and has three chil-
dren — Frank (deceased), Ella, and one whose
name is not given. (6) Agnes, born in Sche-
nectady county, November 7, 1863, is the wife
of William Showers, who is at the head of the
electric works at Schenectady, and they have
two children — Flossie and Edna. (7) Ella
M., born in Schoharie county, November 24,
1865, is the wife of Frank Watson, a carpen-
ter of Meeker, Colo., and they have one child —
Everett.

rYMAN B. ROSA. The well-known firm
of H. B. Rosa & Son, of Fishkill and
Matteawan, undertakers and dealers in furni-
ture, is one of the oldest business concerns of
that locality, having been founded in 1827 by
the father of the subject of our sketch, John
H. Ivosa, who was a prominent citizen of Fish-
kill during the early part of this century. The
home of the family had previously been at
Hurley, Ulster county, where our subject's
grandfather, Hyman Rosa, a son of Jacob
Rosa, was a leading resident of his day. He
and his>wife, Rebecca Sleight, reared there a
family of six children : Jacob, Jane, Maria, John
H., Caleb Merritt and Newkirk. John H. Rosa
married Margaret Crispell, and settled in Fish-
kill, where he at once engaged in business.

They had a family of seven children: Abram
Gaasbeck, Hyman B., Jane Ann, Sarah C,
Theodore A., John C. and Mary D.

Hyman B. Rosa was born in Fishkill vil-
lage, January 26, 1829, and after attending
the public schools of that place until the age
of fifteen, he began to help his father in the
store, acquiring there a complete knowledge
of the business. In 1857 he was taken into
partnership, and at the death of his father, in
i860, he became sole proprietor, and contin-
ued alone until his son, Frederic L., was ready
to take a place in the firm. Since that time
the business has been greatly enlarged, a
branch at Matteawan having been established
under the charge of his junior partner.

Mr. Rosa married Miss Sarah B. South-
ard, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth South-
ard, and their union was blessed with four
children: Margaret C, Frank (who died at
the age of eight years), Laura and Frederic L.
The family are leading members of the Re-
formed Dutch Church, at Fishkill Village, and
Mr. Rosa has taken an influential part in many
local movements, giving his support to the
Republican party on all political issues.

Frederic L. Rosa, who has already
given evidence in his business career of the
possession of that inherited ability, foresight,
and energy which has built up in past years
the success of the firm of H. B. Rosa & Son,
was born in Fishkill Village, March 15, 1867,
and received his education in the public
schools there. At the age of sixteen he entered
the store as a clerk, and in 1888 became a
partner. The wide acquaintance and high
reputation which his firm has enjoyed for more
than half a century justified the establishment
of the branch store at Matteawan, which was
opened in October, 1S94, and has since been
carried on under his supervision. He also has
full charge of their large undertaking business
in Matteawan and Fishkill Landing, and has
the finest hearses andother paraphernalia to be
found in the county.

In June, 1893, F. L. Rosa married Miss
Effie B. Coldwell, daughter of Samuel A. and
Rebecca (Tompkins) Coldwell, and they reside
at Fishkill Landing, in a pleasant home at the
corner of Church street and Cottage place.
They are prominent in the Reformed Dutch
Church of that locality. Mr. Rosa is an active
member of the K. of P., holding, at the pres-
ent time, the office of prelate in Melzingah
Lodge No. 304; also a member of Evergreen

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

481

Lodge No. 131, I. O. O. F., and of the Lewis
Tompkins Hose Company. In politics he ad-
heres to the Republican party.

GEORGE FEROE. Few men are more
^ prominent in the enterprising village of
Tivoli than this gentleman. He has been an
important factor in business circles, and his
popularity is well deserved, as in him are em-
braced the characteristics of an unbending
integrity, unabated energy and industry that
never flags. He is public-spirited, and thor-
oughly interested in whatever tends to promote
the moral, intellectual and material welfare of
the community.

Mr. Feroe was born in the town of Red
Hook, October 14, 1825, and is a son of Henry
Feroe, also a native of that town. The birth
of the paternal grandfather occurred in France,
and on emigrating to this country he located
in the town of Red Hook, Dutchess county,
where he engaged in farming and reared his
two children: Henry; and Betsy, who became
the wife of Jacob Van Steenburgh, a farmer
of the same township. The grandfather was
a faithful member of the Reformed Dutch
Church.

Although reared to agricultural pursuits,
Henry Feroe learned the carpenter's trade,
which he followed exclusively through life. He
was united in marriage with Maria Lasher, a
native of the town of Red Hook, and of Hol-
land descent. Her father, Sebastian Lasher,
followed the occupation of farming. After
their marriage the young couple located upon
a farm in their native township, where they
reared their family of eleven children: John is
a retired carpenter of Tivoli; William (de-
ceased) was a shoemaker by trade; Peter is
also a carpenter of Tivoli; Betsie (deceased)
was the wife of John Huffman, a shoemaker;
Edward is a carpenter of Fishkill, N. Y. ;
Eugene and Robert died unmarried; Margaret
wedded Stephen Clum, a carpenter; Matilda is
the widow of Mr. Leason, an undertaker;
Cornelia, who married Eli Best, a farmer, now
makes her home in Tivoli; and George, of this
review, is the eighth in order of birth. The
parents, who were consistent members of the
Reformed Dutch Church, have both departed
this life.

Our subject remained upon the home farm
until reaching his majority when he went to
Tivoli, where he worked by the day. In 1843

he married Miss Sarah J. Simonson, a native
of Red Hook town, and a daughter of James
and Julia Simonson, the former a merchant.
The following year Mr. Feroe started west-
ward, going by steamboat to Albany, thence
up the Erie canal to Buffalo, from there to
Toledo, Ohio, and then up the Maumee river
to Logansport, Ind., but did not long remain
there, returning to Red Hook in the fall.
After working at the carpenter's trade for some
time he went to New Jersey, where he en-
gaged in farming for four years, and for two
years followed the same occupation in Michi-
gan. Returning to New Jersey, he was there
employed at painting and carpentering for
some time, and in the city of Newark for four
years followed gardening. His ne.xt home was
near I^oria, 111., where he engaged in agricult-
ural pursuits some four years, after which he
followed the same occupation in Michigan for
thirteen years. In 1863, however, he returned
to Tivoli, purchasing his present place, and
has here since made his home. In connection
with landscape gardening he is also engaged in
the cooperage business, and in 1893 made 60,-
000 fruit barrels, one-half of the whole amount
manufactured in Dutchess county.

Five children were born to our subject
and his wife, two of whom died in infancy,
and Adda passing away in 1893. Those living
are Clarence, a resident of Tivoli; and Emma,
wife of Montgomery Queen, who also lives in
Tivoli. The mother's death occurred May 18,
1876. The present wife of our subject was
Mary L. Moore, of Dutchess county, whom he
married in 1876. They contribute liberally to
the support of St. Paul's Church, and hold a
high position in the social circles of the com-
munity. Although not very active in politics,
Mr. Feroe keeps himself well informed on
current events, and uniformly votes the Re-
publican ticket.

31

GBERT WOODIN, who is pleasantly lo-

cated in the town of Beekman, Dutchess

county, is operating successfully as a farmer,
and, although now over eighty-one years of
age, is still numbered among the industrious
and enterprising men of the county. He is a
native son of Dutchess county, born in the
town of Pawling, July 24, 18 15, and here his
entire life has been passed, his boyhood being
spent in the place of his birth, but for thirty-
five years he has resided upon his present farm

482

COMMEMOSATirE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

in the town of Beekman. Active and ener-
getic, he has not laid aside his business cares ;
in the spring of 1896 he planted a large field
of corn.

Solomon Woodin, his father, was also born
in the town of Pawling, and was the eldest in
the family of seven children belonging to Amos
and Lucretia (Millard) Woodin, residents of
that township. There the father was reared,
and was married to Miss Annie Franklin. In
1845 they removed to Beekman town, where
he carried on farming and where their deaths
occurred. Thirteen children were born to
them: Ransom, Esther, Ira. Milton, Sarah,
Amos, Federal, Lucretia, Egbert, Henry, Ben-
jamin, Ruth and Chauncey. All are now de-
ceased with the exception of Sarah, Federal,
Egbert, Henry and Ruth.

The boyhood days of our subject were
passed in the town of Pawling, but he was
married in the town of Beekman, in 1833, to
Miss Mary Millard, and they have three chil-
dren: Elizabeth, the wife of Dr. John H.
Doughty, of Matteawan, Dutchess county;
Matilda, widow of W. H. Wright, and Robert,
of Ann Arbor, Mich. Since 1838 Mr. Woodin
has been a resident of the town of Beekman,
and has been prominently identified with its
affairs. He was first a Whig in politics, and
now votes the Republican ticket; he has most
acceptably tilled the offices of collector and
overseer of the poor. For over forty years he
has held membership in the Methodist Episco-
pal Church at Poughquag, in which he is now
serving as steward, and is a most consistent
and earnest Christian.

JACKSON HUSTED, who occupies a fine
and well-improved farm in the town of
Clinton, Dutchess county, is numbered
among its prominent farmers, who from a
small beginning has built up one of the best
homesteads within its borders. The residence
and its surroundings are highly creditable to
the proprietor, and indicate him to be a man
of industry and energy, one who has kept his
eyes open on what is going on in the world
around him, and availed himself of the most